Friction-clutch.



Patented dat. 9, |900.

D. WILLIAMSON.

2 Sheets-Sheet l FRIGTIDN CLUTCH.

(Application med Jan. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

No. 659,275. Patented Dot. 9, |900.

v D. WILLIAMSDN.

-FRICTIONCLUTCH (Allplication med Jan. 24, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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WlTNE E Nurse STATES @PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID WILLIAMSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO C. K. COOPER, SR., OF SAME PLACE.

FRIC''ION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 659,275. dated October 9, 1900. l

Application filed January 24. 1900. Serial No..2,630. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Beit known thatl I, DAVID WILLIAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction- Olutches, of which the following is full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to friction-clutches of that general class in which friction-shoes located inside of a chaxnbered pulley and operated by toggles or levers from a sliding sleeve are used.

One object ofthe invention isto provide a construction in Which centrifugal force is taken advantage of whenthe clutch is in ac-` tion to aid in maintaining the frictional surfaces in contact with each other and in which the centrifugal force will not act disadvantageously when the clutch is out of action by tending to move'the various Working parts of the clutch into contact with each other, and so create unnecessary friction vwhen the parts are supposed to be ruiming free.

A further object of my invention is to provide for the ready adjustment of the shoes to compensate for wear and in general to simplify the construction throughout.

With these objects in view my invention consists in so locating the toggles and levers with respect to each other and to the Working parts of the clutch that the above-stated advantages of centrifugal force are obtained and the disadvantages thereof avoided.

The in ven tion also consist-s of details of con-v struction7 which will be fully described and pointed out hereinafter. l

In the accom panying drawings, Figure lis an end view of the clutch with the shaft in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts broken away and in section. Fig. 3 is a detail of the carrying-plate; Fig. 4 is apartialsection of the pulley-carrying plate and shoe with the connecting-toggle. are sectional views of Vthe shoe,.and Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of parts of the shoe. b

A represents a pulley loose on the shaft B.

O is the operating-sleeve splined to shaft B and provided with the usual annular groove c, containing the yoke d. The yoke,

Figs. 5 and 6v las usual, is connected with a controlling-lever e, by which the clutch is thrown in and out. The pulley A is provided with a champosition with respect to the shaft, and when it is closed that end of the link engaging with the ears c' is inclined toward the pulley, as shown in Fig. 4. Arm g2 ofthe bell-crankis pivoted to a link or lever i, which is also pivoted to a cross-bolt j, supported in the shoe of the clutch. The arm g2 of the bell-crank and the lever t constitute-a toggle by which great leverage may be obtained when forcing the frictional surfaces of the clutch into engagement. When the clutch-surfaces are engaged, the parts of the toggle are in a substantially -straight radial position with respect to the shaft, and when the clutch is disengaged the parts of the toggle are slightly -inclined in a lateral direction, as indicated in Fig. 2.

.The shoes,which are moved into frictional contact with the rirn of the pulley, are of peculiar construction. Figs. 7 and 8 show two principal parts of the shoe. The part shown in Fig. 7 carries the cross-bolt j, it being seated inthe openingclc. This block, (shown in Fig. 7,) which is indicated by Z, tits into the central portion of the part m, underneath the cover-plate m', which is a part of the piece m. When the part! is adjusted to the part m, its forward end passes into an opening m2, in which it fits, the shoulders Z abutting against the sides of said opening to create an engagement between the two parts.

IOD

may be moved with respect to the block Z and then held in the new position by setting up the bolts until their heads clamp down upon the plate m. This adjustment is usually made to compensate for wear of the lagging, which is shown at p, and consequently the part m is usually forced toward the rim of the pulley, and for this purpose the block l is provided with set-screws Z3, which impinge against the lugs m3 on the part m. Hence by slacking the bolts 0, then setting up the set-screws Z3, and finally tightening the bolts 0 the adjustment is perfected. The shoe is held in place to prevent rattling and displacement by the corner-plates q q, which are secured to lugs r on the carrying-plate by bolts, as shown. The lagging p is held upon the face of the shoe preferably bythe screws 19'; but any other method may be utilized.

The operation is as follows: When the clutch is to be closed, so that the shaft and pulley will rotate together, sleeve C is moved toward the pulley. This throws the toggles into the position shown in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that they occupy a radial position with respect to the shaft and that centrifugal force, acting upon them or upon the parts to which they are attached, tends to increase the grip between the frictional surfaces of the clutch. It will also be seen that centrifugal force, acting upon the link h and the outer end of the bell-crank, will tend to tighten the clutch. When the clutch is opened,the link h occupies a radial position with respect to the shaft, so that centrifugal force would not createatendency to move the sleeve C, and so create friction between the sleeve and the yoke d, which is held by the operating-levere. In many forms ofclutches heretofore produced this friction takes place and is the means of consumingr a great deal of power.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a rotary shaft, asleeve adapted to slide axlewise, a rotary member mounted concentrically with the shaft, a friction-shoe adapted to engage said rotary member, a system of levers connecting the sleeve and shoe together and means whereby that terminal member of said system which is connected with the sleeve, will occupy a radial position with respect to the shaft when the clutch is open, substantially as described.

2. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a carrying-plate, a shoe, a bell-crank, a toggle one member of which is one arm of the bell-crank, a link connected with the other arm of the bell-crank, a sleeve connected with the link, the link being in a radial position with respect to the shaft, when the clutch is open, substantially as described.

3. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a carrying-plate, a shoe, two levers pivoted together and one pivoted to the shoe and the other to the carrying-plate sadlevers occupying a radial position with respect to the shaft when the clutch is closed one of said levers constituting one arm of a bell-crank the other arm of which extends lengthwise of the shaft, a link connected with said other arm and occupying a position radial to the shaft when the clutch is open and a shifting sleeve with which the link is connected.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID WILLIAMSON. Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, WM. A. ROSENBAUM. 

